Cord retriever



ct. 8, 1935. s. T. sTRANG ET AL 2,015,935

CORD RETRIEVER Filed oct. s1, 1954 34 f 77 Siralzg F192 /9 ,0 A All Sha/zg Patented Oct. 8, 1935 I PATENT; oFFlcE stephen '.l. streng and Alvin E. Strang,

Canton, vOllio l' Application october 31, 1934, serial No. 750,859

4 Claims.

The invention relates to spring take-ups for conductor cord in portable electrical apparatus, such as suction cleaners and the like.

More particularly, the-invention relates to take- 5 ups or retrievers adapted for normally housing a considerable length oi conductor cord vin a small space. l

The present retriever is of a type which does notrequire sliding contacts'for the electrical as the cord is taken up. This type of conductor cord retriever is disclosed and described in` Patent No. 1,936,463, to S. T. Strang, dated November 21, 1933; and the present invention constil tutes improvements thereon.

In the construction shown in said Patent No. 1,936,463, all the pulleys in each pulley block are mounted on the same shaft which is positioned transversely of the cylindrical handle housing 20 the pulleys, and the pulleys are of varying dil ameters to conform to the cylindrical cross section ofthe handle.

We haveV found that by mounting the pulleys in n each pulley block on a plurality of longitudinally J spaced transversely arranged shafts angularly disposed to each other, all the pulleys, may be made substantially equal in diameter and of maximum diameter.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present inu vention to provide an improved spring-driven retrieverv for the conductor cord of an electrical apparatus, `which retriever is adapted to house the cord in a minimum amount of space. 'l

Another object is to provide a retriever for an electrical conductor cord, whichdoes not require sliding contacts or the winding of Ithe cord on a reel.

, Another object is to' provide an improved cord retriever adapted to be housed in a cylindrical handle and having -a pulley arrangement which pays out or takes up the cord with maximum facility.

A further object is to provide an improved cord retriever adapted for being housed in a cylindrical handle and having a pulley arrangement which subjects the cord to a minimum amount of Wear.

A still further object is to provide an improved 50 conductor cord retriever which is adapted to be housed in the usual cylindrical handle of a suction cleaner vrWithout materially increasing the size or impairing the appearance thereof.

These and other objects are accomplished by 55 the improvements comprising the present inven-l tion, which is disclosed and described in the drawin g and specification herein, and which is particularly set forth in the appendedclaims.

In the drawing forming part hereof conductor cord, nor winding of the same .on a reel Figure 1.is an elevationof a suction cleaner .embodying my improved cord retriever inthe handle thereof;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentaryl longitudinal sectional view of the tubular handle, showing the arrangement of pulleys therein;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3 3, Fig. 2, showing lthe conductor cord clamping means; y

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional View taken on line`4 4, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 5 5, Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged crosssectional view taken on line 6 6, Fig. 2;

Fig. "I is an enlarged cross sectional view taken 15 on line l'I 'I, Fig. 2; l

Fig. 8 is an enlargedv cross sectional view taken on line 8 8, Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view showing the improved' reel, taken on line 9 9, Fig. 2; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view as on line Inf-I0, Fig. 9.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing. 25

While We have shown and described our improved cord retriever as applied to an electric suction cleaner, it will be understoodthat it may be adapted for u se in connection with any portable electrical apparatus, Asuch as an electric iron or a portable electric lamp, without departing 3 lfrom the scope of our invention as defined in the appended claims.

In Fig. 1 is shown an ordinary electric suction cleaner having the motor II, bag I2, and the 35- tubularhandle member I3, which may be and preferably is cylindrical.

The conductor cord I4 is connected at one end to the motor II, as shown, and is led therefrom into the lower end of the tubular handle member 40 I3, the other end portion I4 of thecord emerging from a hand grip I5 at the top of the handle member I3, and having the usual attaching plug I6 thereon for connection withav power supply socket.

' The tubular handle member I3 has at its lower 45 end a reel mounting portion II, which is provid` ed with a cylindrical socket I8 for receiving the lower end of the handle member I3. The reel mounting portion I'I is provided with a transv verse cylindrical portion I9 in which a springdriven reel 20 is journalled in a manner to be hereinafter described in detail.

At opposite sides of the transverse cylindrical fentially arranged cord guide holes 58, as shown in p vided With an aperture 28 through which the portion I4' of the conductor cord passes.

Means for normally clamping the conductor cord I4' against longitudinal movement from the aperture28 inwardly while permitting longitudinal movement thereof outwardly, may include a pulley 29 eccentrically journalled on a yoke 38,

which is slidably positioned in a slot 3| in the wall of the hand grip I5. The cord I4 passes between the pulley 29 and the inner wall o f the hand grip I5, as lshown inv Figs. 2 and 3, and a spring 32, having one end connected to the pulley and the other end tothe yoke, normally tends to rotate the pulley 29 on its eccentric mounting in a counter-clockwise direction for clamping the cordy between the pulley and the wall, against longitudinal movement inwardly.

The yoke 30 is provided with a pin 33 which extends through the wall vof the hand grip, and the outer endof the pin 33 has a button or cap 34 secured thereon which is slidable in a socket 35 registering with slot 3|. A spring 36 is positioned around the pin 33 between the cap 34 and the bottom wall of socket 35, and the' spring normal-ly urges the yoke 30 outwardly' against the wall of the hand grip to clamp the cord I4 between the pulley 29 and saidwall, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. By pressing the button 34 inward- 1y to move pulley 29 away from the wall of the' .hand grip, the cord I4 is permitted to move longitudinally inward over the pulley.

'I'he stationary pulley block 24 is provided with f a reduced extension 38 preferably coaxial therewith, in which a plurality of conductor cord pulleys are journalled. As shown, four pulleys may be journalled in the extension 38, .pulleys 39 and 48 being journalled on transverseshaft 4I secured in extension 38, and pulleys 42 and 43 being journalled on transverse shaft 44 secured in extension 38, and longitudinally spaced below the shaft 4I. 'Ihe shafts 4I and 44 are angularly `disposed to each other as best shown in Fig. 5,

for a. purpose tov be hereinafter described.

At the lower end of extension 38, a transverse Yguide flange 45 is preferably provided, and flange 45 may have a series of cord guide holes circumferentially arranged therein, as' indicated at 46 in Fig. .5, through which'the conductor cord strands from the pulleys pass.

A movable pulley block 48 is slidably mounted in the handle member I3 below the stationary block 24, and hasv at its upper portion a transverse guide flange 49 Aprovided with circumfer- Fig. 6. The guide holes 58 cooperate with guide vholes 48 to. maintain the conductor cord strands in 'proper position.

A transverse'guide flange 52 is mounted on the lower end of movable block 48, and is provided with weight reducing apertures 53, and a single cord guide hole 54, as shown in Figs. '1 and 8. The end portion I4 of the conductor cord leading to the motor II passesthrough cord guide hole 54 and out through an aperture in the reel mounting portion I1.

The transverse guide flanges 49 and 52 are adapted to maintain a-close sliding fit with the inside of handle member I3, so as to maintain the movable block 48 in coaxial position therewith, while permitting longitudinal sliding movement of the block 48 in the handle member I3. 5

A plurality of pulleysV are journalled-in the reduced portion of movable pulley block 48 between transverse guide flangesA 49 and 52, for cooperating with the pulleys in stationary pulley block 24. As shown, ve pulleys are journalled in block 10 48, pulley 56 being journalled on transverse shaft 51 secured in block 48, pulleys 58 and 59 being journalled on transverse shaft 60 secured in block 48 and longitudinally spaced below shaft 51, and pulleys Gland 62 being journalled on transverse l5 shaft63 secured in block 48 and longitudinally spaced below shaft 68.

The transverse pulley shafts 51, 60 and 63 are all angularly disposed to each other and also angularly disposedl to transverse pulley shafts 4I 20 and 44 in the stationary pulley block 24, so that the conductor cord strands passing over the pulleys4 journalled on the pulley shafts are circumferentially arranged in the handle member I3 in such a manner as to pass through the cordguide 25 holes in the guide flanges 45, 49 and 52, and so that no two of the conductor card strands overlap. Thus the various strands of the conductor cord are operatively housed in a minimum amount of space. i.

The conductor cord I4 entering the hand grip I5 and passing over the clamping pulley 29, is wound successively around the several pulleys alternately from one pulley block to the other, thence passes .to and is electrically connected in 35 circuit with aswitch located in the hand grip, and thence passes down through the handle member I3 and out through the reel mounting portion thereof for connection to the motor II.

Beginning at the clamping pulley 29, the cord I4' passes through a cord guide hole 65 in the cylindrical portion 25 of stationary block 24, as shown in Fig. 4. The portion I4 of the cord then passes downward through-a cord guide `hole in guide flange (Fig. 5), thence through a similar 45 guide hole in guide flange 49 of the movable block 48 (Fig. 6), and thence around pulley 56.

From pulley 56 the'conductor cord passes upward as indicated'at A through guide holes in flanges 49 and 45 respectively, and thence around 50 pulley 42. From pulley 42 the conductor cord passes. downwardly as indicated at B through cord guide holes in flanges 45 and 49 respectively and around pulley 58, thence upward as indicated at C around pulley 43, thence downward as indicated at D and around pulley 59, thence upward as indicated at E and around pulley 40, thence downward as indicated at F and around pulley 62, thence upward as indicated ,at G and around pulley 39, thence downward as indicated at H and around pulley 6 I, and thence upward as indicated at J through guide holes in flanges 49 and 45 respectively and guide hole 10 in the upper cylin` drical portion 25 of stationary pulley block 24.

From cord guide hole 10 the conductor cord strand J passes over to an ordinary hand operated switch 1I which is mounted in the cylindrical portion 21 of the hand grip as by screws 12, being connected in circuit with the switch as at 13, and thence passes downward as indicated at 49 respectively, and then through cord guideholeY 75/ .pulley block 48 preferably includesI the springvdriven reel 20, which is journalled in the cylindrioal housing I9 of the reel mounting portion I1 l of the handle. 'Ihe reel 20 is preferably jourhoned upon o. shaft 1s which is vmounted at us ends inthe bosses 2| and 22 as shown. The shaft 16 has a plunger 11 slidably mounted in its longitudinally central bore, and a coil spring I8 is positioned in the bore between the end of the plunger I1 and a shoulderA 'I9 in the shaft for normally rurging the pin outwardly-toward. and through the boss 22. The boss 22 'is provided with a laterally extending slot 80, and a transversepin 8l secured in the plunger 'I1 extends through a slot 82 in the shaft 16 and is normally entered in the slot 88 and forcedagainst the end 83 thereof by the spring 18.

A reel-driving coil spring 84 is located Within` the reel 20 and has one end securedto the shaft 16, as by rivet 85, and the other end connected to a rivet pin 86 which passes through and is secured in the side walls of the reel 20.

Means for connecting the reel 20 to the movable pulley block 48 may comprise a cable or at flexible steel band, as indicated at 88, which is adapted to be wound around the periphery .of the reel. As shown in the drawing, the band 88 has one end connected to the block 48 as by a rivet 89, and the other end passes through a slot in the 4 reel and is connected to the rivet pin 86, the band 88 being wound around the reel in a groove 98.

When the improved cord retriever is assembled inthe handle member I3, in order to impose an \initial tension upon the reel, the plunger 11 is forced inwardly by means of a suitable tool until the pin 8| is moved out of slot 88 and is free to rotate in the cylindrical portion 9| within the boss 22. A hexagonal wrench may then be in serted in the hexagonal socket 92 at the other end of the shaft, and the shaft turned to impose the desired initial tension upon the reel, after 'which the plunger is releasedto allow pin 8l to enter slot 80 and lock the shaft 'I6 in the housing I9.

The conductor cord I4', which is connected at its end to lthe lpower supply socket, Imay be paid out to any length tov allow the vsuction cleaner to be operated at a desired distance from the socket, the movable pulley block 48 moving upwardly in the handle member I3 against the tension of the spring 84 in the reel 20, and the clamping pulley 29 clamping the cord against movement inwardly.

When it is desired to take up the excess cord into the handle, it is only necessary to press the clamping button 34, to release pulley 29 and the tension of the yspring 84 will pull down the movable pulley block 48 and draw the excess length of conductor cord into the handle I8.

By journalling the pulleys upon transversely disposedshafts which are angularly disposed to each other, according to the present invention,

none of the various dstrands of the conductor cord overlap, with the result that all of the space within the handle is utilized and the pulleys may be made substantially equalin-diameter and of maximum diameter. In other words, the diameter of each pulley plus the thickness at each side.

thereof of therconductor cord which passes thereover may be substantially `equal to the inside vdiameter of the handle member I8.

Accordingly, all of the pulleys are of suiiicient size to insure that the cord will pass freely and easily thereover without kinking and without being subjected to any material amount of wear.

l. The present improved cord retriever does not 5 e quire sliding contacts nor the winding of the conductor cord on a reel, and is adapted for being housed in the usual cylindrical handle of a suction cleaner without materially increasing the size or impairing the appearance thereof.

We claim;

1. A 'cord `retriever for electrical apparatus having a tubular member and a conductor cord extending therethrough, including a stationary pulley block fixed in the tubular member, a Inovl5 able pulley block slidably mounted in the tubular member, each pulley block having avplurality of longitudinally spaced transversely arranged shafts angularly disposed to each other, pulleys journalled on each of said shafts, the conductor 20 cord being wound successively around the pulleys alternately from one pulley block to the other, and means for imposing a tension `on the movable pulley block.

2. A cord retriever for electrical -apparatus 25- vhaving a tubular member and a conductor cord extending therethrough, includingv a stationary pulley block xed in the tubular member, a movable pulley block'slidably mounted in the tubular member, each pulley block having a plurality of 30 longitudinally spaced transversely arranged shafts angularly disposed to each other, pulleys journalled n each of said shafts, the conductor cord being wound successively around the pulleys alternately from one pulley block to the other, a spring-,driven reel` journalled in the tubularv member, and means operatively connecting the reel with the movable pulley block.

3. A cord retriever lfor electrical apparatus having a tubular member anda conductor cord extending therethrough, including a stationary pulley block fixed in the tubular member, a movable pulley block slidably mounted in the tubular member, each pulley block having a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely arranged shafts angularly disposed to each other, pulleys journalled on each of said shafts, the conductor cord beingwound successively around the pulleys alternately from one pulley block to the other. the diameter of each pulley plus the thickness at each side thereof of the cord passing thereover being substantially equal to the inside diameter of the tubular member, and means for imposing a. tension on the movable pulley block.

4. A cord retriever for electrical apparatusl having al tubular member and a conductor cord extending therethrough, including astationary block iixed in the tubular member, a movable block slidable in the tubular member, each block having aplurality of transversely disposed pullleys journalled therein in longitudinally spaced `angular relation to each other, the conductor cord being wound successively around the pulleys alternately from one. pulley block to the other,

one end of the cord being connected to the elecr 

